By Indo-Asian News Service
Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is drafting a new surrender policy for Maoist guerrillas to lure the rebels away from violence.
The new policy is being prepared to remove the shortcomings of the previous one, which failed to get Maoist rebels in the state to surrender.
According to government sources, the new policy deals with the surrender of the Maoist rebels, vocational courses for them and different categories of rewards.
“The new policy will be different from the previous one. The state government will give an option to Maoists to surrender in the place of their liking. The place could be inside or outside the state.
“We will also conduct vocational training and rehabilitation programmes for the Maoist rebels who surrender and ensure the safety of their families,” an official said.
“We will also divide the reward categories. If a Maoist surrenders with arms he will get more money. We will also categorise the arms and the reward money will depend on it.
“We will not put each surrendered Maoist in the same category. The Maoist leaders, zonal commanders and activists will be treated differently,” the official added.
The new policy may also allow the withdrawal of court cases against Maoists who surrender.
No Maoist rebel in the state surrendered under the previous policy. Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 22 districts in the state. Nearly 740 persons including 290 security personnel have been killed in the last six years in Maoist related violence.